Hermetically sealed container



Oct. 6, 1964 E. w. GRIESE, JR

HERMETICALLY SEALED CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 27, 1962 I 727}? In o a 11 f0?- Zlhzer W 6 7322656 z/Fa 97 Oct. 6, 1964 E. w. GRIESE, JR 3,151,800

HERMETICALLY SEALED CONTAINER Filed July 27, 1962 s Sheets-Shet 2 5 Elmer W 6 1 4Z@5x Oct. 6, 1964 E. w. GRIESE, JR

HERMETICALLY SEALED CONTAINER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 2'7, 1962 Q Q w a we w United States Patent 0 HERME'HQALLY SEALED iIGNTAINi-ER Elmer W. Griese, in, Chicago, iii assignor to Ekco Containers ins, a corporation of Illinois Filed duly 27, 1962, er. No. 212,931 17 Claims. (1. 229-3.5)

This invention relates to h rmetically sealed containers that are sealed in such a way that in the course of removal of the sealing cover, an internal cover wall remains in place and provides one or more openings formed therein to adapt the container to a selected special use that is related to the nature of the contents of the container.

Containers with outer covers removable to expose a perforated inner cover have been known and used, but such containers have been complicated as to structure and manufacture and have not been suited to hermetic sealing of the package. In the packaging of food products and the like, hermetic scaling is of course vital to protect such products against moisture in some instances, or against moisture loss in other instances, and such hermetic sealing must also protect the packaged product against contamination, oxidation and in many cases against damage to exposure to light.

It has been long recognized that hermetically sealed aluminum foil packaging is basically suited to the attainment of such protection of the packaged product because the foil sheets provide reliable barriers against passage of air, moisture and light, and because such aluminum foil packaging may make use of foils as thin as .0015 inch, the resulting packages are light in weight and may be easily handled and economically shipped, and it is therefore an important object of this invention to enable hermetically sealed containers of the aforesaid kind to be produced primarily from metal foil such as aluminum foil so as to provide containers with special purpose inner walls or cover elements while at the same time utilizing the known superior characteristics of metal foil packaging to assure protection of the packaged product.

Another important object of this inventon is to enable hermetically sealed containers with special purpose inner covers to be provided in a simple manner and in such a way as to enable the inner and outer cover elements to be pre-assembled and then applied simultaneously to the container. More specifically, it is an object of this invention to enable cover units for such containers to be made primarily from metal foil, and to enable such cover units to be quickly and easily applied to filled containers in hermetically sealed relation.

Other and further objects of the present invention will e apparent from the following description and claims, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, by way of illustration, show preferred embodiments of the present invention and the principles thereof, and what is now considered to be the best mode in which to apply these principles. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the invention.

In the drawings:

FiG. l is a plan view of a container adapted to contain a burnable substance, and with the outer cover member partially removed;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the container shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view showing the container of PIG. 2 after the outer cover member has been fully removed;

FIG. 4 is a plan section looking upwardly and taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2 so as to show the internal structure of the cover unit;

FIG. 4A is an enlarged fragmental view similar to FIG. 2 and showing the preferred way for securing the cover elements in position;

FIG. 5 is a plan view similar to FIG. 1 and showing an alternative embodiment of the invention adapted to provide a shaker top for granular substances;

PIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5; and showing the container in its closed relation;

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the container of FIG. 6 in its fully open relationship;

FIG. 8 is a View similar to FIGS. 1 and 5 and showing another container embodying the invention, the container being shown in partially open relation and being adapted to provide a pouring opening when the container is fully opened;

PEG. 9 is a vertical sectional View taken substantially along the line ?9 of FIG. 8;

PEG. 10 is a plan view similar to FIG. 8 and showing the container of FIGS. 7 and 8 in its fully open relationship;

PEG. 11 is a plan view similar to PIG. 8 and illustrating another embodiment of the invention in which a pouring opening is provided in a container that is rectangular in its plan form;

PEG. 12 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line l2l2 of PIG. ll;

PiG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 11 and showing the container in its fully opened relationship;

FIG. 14 is a vertical sectional View illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

PIG. 15 is a plan view of the structure shown in FIG. 14; and

PIG. 16 is a fragmental view similar to PiG. 14 and illustrating the manner in which the container may be reclosed.

F or purposes of disclosure the invention is herein illustrated in several different embodiments so as to show the widge range of utility of the invention. Thus, in FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings, a sealed package 29 is shown that is adapted to contain a somewhat volatile material that may be burned in the container with a small stable heating flame after the package 2%? has been opened. The package 2% comprises a top-hanged container 21 across the flanged-top of which a multiple-part cover unit 22 is secured in hermetically sealed relation, and when a projecting tab 221 on the cover unit 22 is lifted, an inner cover wall 23W, with a large central opening 23-1 therein, is left in place on the container so that the wall 23W serves to provide a flame-controlling flange for producing an even and longer burning action of the contents of the package 2%. The action of such an inwardly projecting flange is well understood in the art.

The container 21 is circular in plan form and is formed from aluminum foil to provide a bottom wall 218, a smooth sloping side wall 215, and a smooth surfaced outward flange 21F at the upper edge of the side wall 218. Preferably the outer edge of the flange 21F has means such as a protective roll 21R formed thereon. The container 21 is formed from a foil stock such as aluminum foil having a thin sealing and protecting coating 21C on the surface that is to constitute the inner surface of the container and the upper surface of the flange 21F. Such coating 21C functions to protect the inner suriace of the container, and being in the nature of a heat activated adhesive, functions in sealing the cover unit 22 to the flange 1211*, as will be described.

The multiple-part cover unit 22 comprises an outer or upper member 24 that is imperforate and of such a character as to be gas and liquid tight, and an inner or lower member 23. In the form shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the member 2 is laminated in character and has an upper s,151,so

paper layer 24? and a lower aluminum foil layer 24M, and the lower or inner member is made from aluminum foil, and the members 23 and 24 are formed and related so that when the upper or outer member 24 is removed from the package 29, a pull-out portion 231 of the wall 23 will be removed with the member 24 to provide the opening 23-1. The outer member 24 may of course be a single layer member as distinguished from the laminated form herein shown. The tab 22T projects integrally from one edge of the upper member 24, with the exception of the tab 22T, the upper member 24 and the lower member 23 are of the same plan-form and are of such a size that the cover unit 22 may extend across the flanged upper edge of the container 21 and may rest on and be sealed to the flange 23 as will be explained.

The foil lower member 23 is pre-cut or pre-slit to define the pull-out portion 23?, and this is accomplished by forming concentric semi-circular slits 25, FIGS. 1, 2 and 4. The slits 25 have their adjacent ends spaced apart, as shown in FIG. 4, to define connecting webs W that support the pull-out portion 231' in position in the plane of the member 23. Because of their small size the connecting webs W or their locations, are indicated schematically by a pair of short parallel lines in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The upper and lower members 24 and 23 are adhesively secured together in predetermined areas as will be described, and when the cover 22. is put in place on the container 21 the annular upper face of the flange 21F is adhesively secured to the lower face of the lower face of the lower member 23, thereby to produce a hermetically sealed package.

The adhesive means employed under this invention serves not only as an adhesive or sealing means but as a protection over the inner surfaces of the package, and hence this material is applied as a complete surface coating to the bottom surfaces of members 23 and 24 at 23C and 24C, and as a coating 21C on the upper face of the foil of the container 21, as hereinbefore described. The adhesive coatings 21C, 23C and 24C are of the heat sealing or heat activatedtype so that local areas of the coating may be heat activated to seal the required areas of the parts together, and such a coated adhesive is particularly advantageous in that it also provides a protective coating for surfaces of the cover that are to be subjected to oxidizing or like conditions.

Thus, the pre-cut lower member 23 is secured to the layer 24M by heat sealing in an annular area 26 between the bordering edges of the members 23 and 24, and in addition, the central part of the pull-out portion 23P is secured to the layer 24M by heat scaling in a centrally located area 26F. The lower member 23 of course carries its coating 23C on its lower surface so that an annular area 27 thereof may be readily heat sealed to the coating 21C of the flange 21F to seal the cover 22 in hermetically sealed relation on the flat upper surface of the flange 21F.

In preparing Lhe package 20, the containers 21 are individually prepared or manufactured, and the cover units 22 are preassembled in either separated or in strip or group form, and after a container 21 has been filled with the volatile burnable material, a cover unit 22 is put in place thereon and is hermetically sealed as described to the flange 21F by the annular heat sealed area 27. The volatile burnable substance is thus preserved within the package 29 during shipmentand storage; and when the contents of the package 20 are to be used, the tab 22T is grasped and pulled back as shown in FIG. 1 so as to strip the layer 24 of the cover unit 22 from the container 21. As this opening or stripping operation takes place the pull-out portion 23F is held to the layer 24 and the webs W are broken so that the pull-out action 23P is removed and the top of the container 21 is left open and with the wall or flange 23W extending inwardly and defining a central opening 231. To facilitate breaking of the webs W, these webs are located at right angles to the direction of projection of the tab 22T. Hence, as the tab 22T is lifted as shown in FIG. 1, the direction of lifting or stripping is transversely related to the Webs W, and is parallel to the portions of the slit 25 at the points where these slits 25 meet the webs W. This relationship results in proper severance of the webs W as the tab 22T is lifted.

The layer 24M, the member 23, and the container 21 being impervious to air and moisture, and the heat sealed areas 26 and 27 being disposed respectively between the border areas of the layer 24 and the member 23 and the flange 21F, the structure provides an air-impervious or hermeticaly sealed package.

In FIG. 4A of the drawings the invention is illustrated as embodied in a package 29 that is for all practical purposes the same as the package 20 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but in FIG. 4A the preferred manner of applying the adhesive is illustrated in greater detail. Thus, as shown in FIG. 4A, the cover unit 22 has its upper layer formed by a single sheet 24M of metal foil such as aluminum, and this sheet 24M has its entire lower surface coated with a continuous layer of coating 240. Similarly, the lower layer 23 of the cover unit 22 is formed from a single sheet of metal foil such as aluminum, and has a continuous adhesive coating 23C on its entire lower surface. Both adhesive coated layers 24C and 23C are of a heat activated adhesive, and such a coating serves as a protective layer to prevent undesired oxidation of the metal surfaces that are covered thereby. The lower member 23 has the pull-out section 23F formed therein by slits 25 formed as hereinbefore described, and the form and relationship of the upper and lower layers of the cover unit 22 is the same as hereinbefore described.

The cover unit 2% has the upper and lower layers thereof fixed together by heat-activating selected areas thereof corresponding to the areas 26 and 26? hereinbefore described in connection with the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2. After the parts or layers of the cover 2% have been secured together, the cover unit 20 may be put in place on the flange 21F of a container 21 and may be heat sealed thereto by heat activating the annular area 27.

It might be pointed out that in the use of the present container the pull tab 22T is lifted to in effect open the package, and it is desirable that there by a preferential adhesion in the boardering areas of the cover so that the lower layer 23 of the cover until will be held in place by the adhesive 27 while the upper layer will be separated from the lower layer by stripping or breaking the adhesive area 26. This is accomplished because of the differential between the single heat seal coating 24C that holds the layer 24 in place on the double heat seal coating 21C, 23C that acts between the flange 21F and the layer 23.

In FIGS. 5 to 7 the invention is illustrated as embodied in a package 129 that in hermetically sealed after packing, and which when opened, constitutes a shaker for salt, pepper and the like materials. The container 12, as shown particularly in FIG. 6 of the drawings, comprises a top flanged open top container 121 having the same general form as the container 21 heretofore described, and hermetically sealed by a multiple layer cover unit 122 that is adhesively fixed in position on the flange 1211? of the container 121. The container 121 and the cover unit 122 have the same general form and relationship as corresponding parts hereinbefore described in connection with FIGS. 1 to 4, but in the cover unit 122, provision is made for providing a plurality of relatively small dispensing openings 123-1 that are opened as an incident to the removal of the upper cover layer 125 by lifting of the tab 122T.

The shaker openings 123-1 are provided by a plurality of matched pairs of semi-circular slits 125 of relatively small radius that define pull-out sections 1231 held in position by webs W-l at opposite sides of the respective pull-out section 1231. These webs W-1 are defined between the adjacent ends of the slits 125, and arranged so that the webs W4 will be broken in the course of removal of the upper layer 124 of the cover unit 122.

The upper and lower layers 124 and 123 of the unit 122 have sealing and protecting coatings 124C and 123C thereon and the unit 122 is formed by heat sealing the upper layer to the lower member 123 in an annular area 126 and the pull-out sections 123? are also heat sealed to the layer 124 in areas 126. In pulling the cover unit 122 in place, the border edge of the lower surface of the foil member 123 is heat sealed in position on the flange 1211 of the container in an area 123. When the tab 122T is lifted and pulled back in the general manner shown in FlG. 5, the pull-out areas 123? are lifted with the upper layer 124- of the cover unit, and the webs Wl are broken so that these pull-out sections are removed and the shaker openings 124 are opened as indicated in FIG. 7 of the drawings. The contents of the opened container 12% may then be discharged through the openings 123-1 in the usual way.

in FlGS. 8 to 10, the invention is illustrated in a container 2.2 that is adapted particularly for containing a pourable liquid substance such as a sirup, and provision is made whereby a pointed pourin opening 223-1, FIG. 10, is opened in the course of the removal of the outer layer of the cover unit. Here again, the package 228 embodies a foil container 221 that has a sealing and protective coating 221C, and the container 221 is closed by a multiple layer cover unit 222. The container 221 and the cover unit 222 are in most respects similar to the con tainer and the cover unit described in connection with FIG. 1. The corresponding parts are numbered with the same reference characters with the exception that a suflix 2 has been added in each instance.

The cover unit 222 has a tab 222T at the one edge of its upper layer 224, and inner or 1 wer foil member 223 is associated with the layer 224 in the same manner by an annular heat sealed area 227. The cover unit 227 is similarly secured and hermetically sealed to the flange 22E by an annular heat sealed area 227. The desired pouring opening 223-1 is provided by slitting the lower layer 223 at 225, and these slits 225 are separated by narrow webs W-Z as indicated in FIG. 8 so that the webs W42, will be broken as the upper layer 22- 3 of the cover unit 222 is lifted and withdrawn in the manner indicated in FIG. 8 of the drawings. Thus, when the upper layer 224 of the cover unit is withdrawn or lifted upwardly, the pullout section 223? that is defined by the slits 225 is withdrawn, this result following from the heat sealing of the layer 224 and the pullout section 223? in an area Z -5P. A pouring opening 22ll is thus afiorded in a cross wall 223V after the layer 22 5 has been withdrawn or removed.

In F158. 11 to 13 of the drawings, another pouring package 32%) is provided, the package in this instance being of rectangular plan form, and in other respects being substantially s 'lar to the container shown in FIGS. 8 to lb of the drawings. In this instance a container 221 has a cover unit 3-22 thereon, the cover unit having a projecting tab 322T at one end thereof, and at one of the corners at the other end of the container 321, the lower member 323 of the cover unit 322 has a triangular pull-out section 323? that is defined therein by slits 32.5. Tnese slits 325 are so formed as to provide intermediate supporting webs 7-1-3 in the positions indicated in FIGS. 11 and 13. The pouring containers such as the container 32". an air inlet opening 323A may be provided in the wall 323W, and such opening constitutes a small pull out area, like the shake openings l231 heretofore described, and the pull out areas are formed and related to the other elements of the cover in the same manner as the pull out sections 123? of FIG. 6. Hence, when the upper layer 32a of the cover unit 322 is withdrawn in the manner indicated in FIG. ll, the layer 323 is left in place to define a cover wall 323W and the pull-out section 323? is withdrawn by breaking the webs ei/ 5. Hence, when the withdrawal of the upper cover layer is completed, the pull-out portion 323? has been removed, and a pouring opening 323-1 is provided in one corner of the cover wall 323W. It will be understood that the pull-out section 3231 is secured to the layer 324 by a heat sealed area 3251 and bordering heat sealed areas 326 and 327 are provided in the same manner as in the previously described embodiments of the invention.

In FIGS. 14 to 16 another embodiment of the invention is illustrated wherein a sealed container 426 is provided. This package 42% comprises a container 421 of the kind hereinbefore described having fiat edge flanges :21F, and a cover unit 422 is provided that has most of the basic characteristics hereinbefore described in respect to the cover units of this invention, but in addition provides for two different kinds of openings in the inner wall and for selective exposure of these different kinds of openings and for re-closing of the package. Thus the cover unit 422 has an upper layer 424, and a lower layer 423, both made from a metal foil such as aluminum foil, and these two layers are secured together, in an annular area that will be located opposite the flange 421?, by heat sealing in an annular area 4-26. The cover unit 428 is secured to the flange ZlF by a heat sealed area 427 in the manner hereinbefore described. The lower wall 5-23 in this instance has a plurality of relatively small shaker openings .23 formed by slits in the lower wall or layer 423 as hereinbefore described and have pull out sections 523? defined by such slits. The pull out sections are secured to the upper wall or layer 424 by heat sealed areas 426?.

In an area of the lower wall 423 that is disposed from the pull out sections 4-23P, a relatively large pull out section 523? is formed by appropriate slits 425, and here again the pull out section 523? is secured to the upper wall 424 by a heat sealed area 5251. The pull out section 523d provides a measuring opening to receive a measuring spoon in a known manner. Opposite the pull out sections 423? and 5231 the outer member 424 has tabs 422T and 522T, and provision is made whereby either one of these tabs may be lifted so as to raise an adjacent portion of the upper wall 424 to the dotted line position shown in FlG. 14. This results in selective lifting of the pull out sections 423} or 523?, and the mid-section of the upper layer 424 of the cover is held in place by a diametric heat sealed lin or area 626. Thus, when one of the tabs 422T or 522T is lifted, the adjacent portion of the upper member 424 pivots upwardly about the edge of the diametric adhesive area 626, and with this arrangement, either the measuring opening 525? or the shaker openings 4-23? may be rendered etlective, and after use of the package, it may be re-closed. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 16 of the drawings, the right hand side of the upper layer of the cover, after being opened, has been moved back to its horizontal position. In such movement the heat sealed area 25 holds the pivoted portion of the cover, and the outer edge is then secured in its closing position by bending the tab 422T downwardly around the edge of the package, including the flange 421R From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the present invention provides for the production or" hermetically sealed containers that may be opened in such a way as to enable the contents or" the container to be used in a particularly way, and more specifically it will be apparent that the removal of a portion of the cover of the hermetically sealed package provides a partial cover unit on the package which in each instance adapts the contents of the package for use in a special way that is related to th nature of such contents.

Thus, while preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated herein, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a hermetically sealed package, an impervious container including a side wall and a continuous outwardly extending flange about the top of the side wall, a cover unit extended across said container, said cover comprising metal foil upper and lower members having the same size and plan form and with said upper member having an integral tab member at one edge thereof extending beyond the edge of the lower member, said lower metal foil member having a plurality of slits formed therein in an end to end relation and defining the boundaries of a pull-out section supported in the plane of said lower member by unbroken webs between adjacent ends of said slits, adhesive means securing said pull-out section to the opposed surface of said upper member, adhesive means securing and hermetically sealing said upper and lower members of the cover together in a continuous area opposite said flange, and adhesive means securing and hermetically sealing said upper and lower foil members together in a continuous area opposite said flange.

2. A package as defined in claim 1 wherein said webs are disposed at substantially right angles to the direction of projection of said tab.

3. A package according to claim 1 wherein thelower member of the cover is secured to the flange more securely than the upper and lower members are secured. together to assure preferential separation of the upper member from the lower member when the tab is lifted.

4. In a cover unit adapted to be adhesively secured in place across and in hermetically sealed relation to a top-flanged impervious container of predetermined size and plan-form, said cover unit comprising metal foil upper and lower members of said predetermined size and plan form with said upper member having an integral tab member extending from one edge thereof, said lower metal foil member having a plurality of slits formed therein in an end to end relation and defining a pull out section supported in the plane of said lower member by unbroken webs between adjacent. ends of said slits, adhesive means forming a continuous seal between and about the bordering edges of said lower and upper members, and adhesive means securing said pull-out section to the opposed surface of said upper member.

5. A cover unit as defined in claim 4 wherein said webs are disposed at substantially right angles to the direction of projection of said tab member.

6. A cover unit according to claim 4 wherein said lower member of the cover unit has its lower surface completely coated with an adhesive adapted to be activated to seal the cover unit to opposed flange areas of a container.

7. In a cover unit adapted to be adhesively secured in place across and in hermetically sealed relation to a topflanged impervious container of predetermined size and plan form, said cover unit comprising a lower member made from air-impervious material and of said predetermined size and plan-form, an upper member made of air-impervious material and having the same size and plan 'form as said lower member and with an integral extending tab member at one edge thereof, said lower member having .a plurality of slits formed therein spaced from the edge thereof and in an end to end relation and defining a pull-out section supported in the plane and said lower member by unbroken webs between adjacent ends of said slits, adhesive means forming a continuous impervious seal between and about the bordering edges of said lower and upper members, and adhesive means securing said pull-out section to the opposed surface of said upper member.

8. A cover unit as defined in claim 6 wherein said webs are disposed at substantially right angles to the di-' rection of projection of said tab.

9. A cover unit according to claim 7 wherein the lower surface of said lower member has a continuous coating of impervious adhesive thereon adapted to be activated to seal and secure the cover unit to the flange of a container.

10. In a hermetically sealed package, an impervious container having a side wall and a continuous outwardly extending impervious flange about the top of the side wall, a cover unit extended across said container and having its lower surface in hermetically sealed relation to the flange of said container, said cover comprising metal foil upper and lower members having the same size and plan form and with said upper member having a pair of tab members extending therefrom at diametrically opposite points, and adhesive means securing the upper and lower members of the cover together in an impervious relation in a continued area opposite said flange, a central area of adhesive means securing said upper and lower members of the cover together along a continuous line extending from edge to edge of the cover perpendicular to a line connecting said tabs, said lower metal foil member having a plurality of sets of slits formed therein in an end to end relation and defining the boundaries of pull-out sections located on opposite sides of said central area and supported in the plane of said lower member by unbroken webs between adjacent ends of said slits, and adhesive means securing said pull-out sections to said upper member.

11. In a hermetically sealed package, an impervious container having a side wall and a continuous outwardly extending impervious flange about the top of the side wall, a cover unit extended across said container and having its lower surface in hermetically sealed relation to the flange of said container, said cover comprising metal foil upper and lower members having the same size and plan form and with said upper member having a pair of tab members extending therefrom at diametrically opposite points, and adhesive means securing the upper and lower members of the cover together in an impervious relation in a continuous area opposite said flange, a central area of adhesive means securing said upper and lower members of the cover together along a continuous line extending from edge to edge of the cover perpendicular to a line connecting said tabs, said lower metal foil member having a plurality of sets of slits formed therein in an end to end relation and defining the boundaries of pull-out sections of difierent shapes located on opposite sides of said central area and supported in the plane of said lower member by unbroken webs between adjacent end of said slits, and adhesive means securing said pullout sections to said upper member.

12. In a hermetically sealed package, an impervious container having a side wall and a continuous outwardly extending impervious flange about the top of the side wall, a cover unit extended across said container and having its lower surface in hermetically sealed relation to the flange of said container, said cover comprising metal foil upper and lower members having the same size and plan form and with said upper member having at least one tab member extending therefrom at the edge thereof, and adhesive means securing the upper and lower members of the cover together in an impervious relation in a continuous area opposite said flange, a central area of adhesive means securing said upper and lower members of the cover together along a continuous line extending from edge to edge of the cover perpendicular to a line extended radially to said tab, said lower metal foil member having slits formed therein in an end to end relation and defining the boundaries of a pull-out section located between said central area and said tab and supported in the plane of said lower member by unbroken webs between adjacent end of said slits, and adhesive means securing said pull-out section to said upper member.

13. In a cover unit adapted to be extended across a top flanged container and to be sealed to the flange impervious of such a container to produce a hermetically sealed package, said cover comprising metal foilupper and lower members having the same size and plan form and with said upper member having a pair of tab members extending therefrom at diametrically opposite points, adhesive means securing the upper and lower members of the cover together in an impervious relation in a continuous area conforming with the plan form of the flange to which the cover unit is to be secured, a central area of adhesive means securing said upper and lower members of the cover together along a continuous line extending from edge to edge of the cover perpendicular to a line connecting said tabs, said lower metal foil member having a plurality of sets of slits formed therein in an end to end relation and defining the boundaries of pull-out sections of different shapes located on opposite sides of said central area and supported in the plane of said lower member by unbroken webs between adjacent end of said slits, adhesive means securing said pull-out sections to said upper member, and a coating of adhesive on the lower surface of the lower member of the cover unit for imperviously sealing and securing the cover unit to the flange of a container.

14. In a cover unit adapted to be extended across a top flanged impervious container and to be sealed to the flange of such a container to produce a hermetically sealed package, said cover comprising metal foil upper and lower members having the same size and plan form as the flanged container and with said upper member having a pair of tab members extending therefrom at diametrically opposite points, adhesive means securing the upper and lower members of the cover together in an impervious relation in a continuous area conforming with the plan form of the flange to which the cover unit is to be secured, a central area of adhesive means securing said upper and lower members of the cover together along a continuous line extending from edge to edge of the cover perpendicular to a line connecting said tabs, said lower metal foil member having a plurality of sets of slits formed therein in an end to end relation and defining the boundaries of pull-out sections located on opposite sides of sad central area and supported in the plane of said lower member by unbroken webs between adjacent end of slits, and adhesive means securing said pull-out sections to said upper member.

15. In a hermetically sealed package a metal foil container having bottom and side walls with a continuous outward flange about the top of the side wall, said container having a continuous coating of protective heat sealable material on its inside surface and the upper surface of the flange, a cover unit comprising metal foil upper and lower members coated on their lower surfaces with a layer of protective heat sealable material, said members being of the same size and plan form and with said upper member having an integral tab projecting from one edge thereof, said lower member in end to end relation to define the boundaries of a pull-out section held in the plane of the lower member by unbroken webs between adjacent ends of said slits, said pull out section being heat sealed to said upper member and said lower member being heat sealed in an impervious relation to said upper member and to said flange in continuous border areas opposite the flange.

16. In a cover unit adapted to be extended across a top flanged impervious container and to be sealed to the flange of such a container to produce a hermetically sealed package, said cover comprising metal foil upper and lower members having the same size and plan form as the container to be sealed and with said upper member having at least one integral tab member extending from the edge thereof, adhesive means securing the upper and lower members of the cover together in an impervious relation in a continuous area conforming with the size and plan form of the flange to which the cover unit is to be secured, a central area of adhesive means securing said upper and lower members of the cover together along a continuous line extending from edge to edge of the cover perpendicular to a line extended from said tab to the center of the cover, said lower metal foil member having a plurality of sets of slits formed therein in an end to end relation and defining the boundaries of a pullout section located between said tab and the central area of adhesive means, said pull out section being supported in the plane of said lower member by unbroken webs between adjacent end of said slits, and adhesive means securing said pullout section to said upper member.

17. In a cover unit adapted to be secured in place across the top of and in hermetically sealed relation to an impervious container of predetermined size and planform, said cover unit comprising a metal lower member of said predetermined size and plan-form, and having means about its bordering edges for hermetically sealing such bordering edges onto such a container, said metal lower member having a plurality of slits formed therein in an end-to-end relation and defining a pullout section supported in its original position with respect to the lower member by unbroken webs of metal between the adjacent ends of said slits, an upper member positioned on top of said lower member and having its outer edges extended outwardly beyond said pullout section, adhesive means forming a continuous impervious seal between said lower member and said upper member outwardly of and entirely about said pullout section, adhesive means securing the upper member to said pullout section, and a tab formed at one edge of said upper member for lifting said upper member and breaking said continuous seal and lifting said pullout section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,845,965 Flautt Feb. 16, 1932 2,750,096 Misch June 12, 1956 2,858,060 Kuchler Oct. 28, 1958 3,079,057 Colarusso Feb. 26, 1963 STATES PATENT OFFICE OF CORRECTION October 6 UNITED CERTIFICATE Patent No.

W. Griese Jr.

Elmer e numbered patcertified that error appe tent should read as that the said It is hereby ection and v the same and insert for "and" read impervious Column 7, line 64 same column lines 72 and "F3 strike out after "flanged" in line 72,

Signed and sealed this 20th day of April 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

I EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer 

1. IN A HERMETICALLY SEALED PACKAGE, AN IMPERVIOUS CONTAINER INCLUDING A SIDE WALL AND A CONTINOUS OUTWARDLY EXTENDING FLANGE ABOUT THE TOP OF THE SIDE WALL, A COVER UNIT EXTENDED ACROSS SAID CONTAINER, SAID COVER COMPRISING METAL FOIL UPPER AND LOWER MEMBERS HAVING THE SAME SIZE AND PLAN FORM AND WITH SAID UPPER MEMBER HAVING AN INTEGRAL TAB MEMBER AT ONE EDGE THEREOF EXTENDING BEYOND THE EDGE OF THE LOWER MEMBER, SAID LOWER METAL FOIL MEMBER HAVING A PLURALITY OF SLITS FORMED THEREIN IN AN END TO END RELATION AND DEFINING THE BOUNDARIES OF A PULL-OUT SECTION SUPPORTED IN THE PLANE OF SAID LOWER MEMBER BY UNBROKEN WEBS BETWEEN ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID SLITS, ADHESIVE MEANS SECURING SAID 